Change the date of Australia Day - Coffs Harbour City Council

As Australians, we all want a day on which we can come together as a national community, to reflect on where we’re at and to celebrate what we are: a wonderfully diverse, open and free society. But January 26 is not that day.

On January 26, 1788 the First Fleet arrived at Port Jackson, and Arthur Phillip raised the Union Jack on the land of the Eora nation. This was an invasion that had catastrophic and tragic consequences for all the peoples and nations who had lived here for tens of thousands of years, and for their descendants.

All Australians can recognise that this day is not appropriate because it is a day of mourning for some, a day of greed and power for others, and a meaningless day for a whole lot. Let's change the date and work towards an appropriate day significant to modern Australia and inclusive of all Australians (e.g. a day of independence or treaty agreeance as a suggestion). In the interim can we revert back to the January long weekend of the last Monday in January being the celebration date. The date has changed before so let's just update it again, who doesn't like a long weekend anyway.

Petition letter: -

Change the date of Australia Day - Coffs Harbour City Council

I have signed this petition to support the #changethedate movement recognising that 26 January is not the most appropriate day for celebrating Australia. The day celebrates the historical invasion of Australia and is hence not inclusive of all Australians.

I wish to request that Coffs Harbour City Council change the date for local Australia Day celebrations and official duties to a more appropriate date (e.g. Last Monday in January, as Australia Day used to be when it was a summer long weekend).